
Fourth of July Creek to Born Lakes
Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scenery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mileage: 8.5 mi
Region: White Clouds Wilderness
Elev. Gain: 2,040 ft
When to Go: Jun—Oct
Avg. Time: 4.5 hr
Parking: Small unpaved lot
Type: Out & Back
Pass: None
Know Before You Go:
A totally underrated trail, the perfect place for even more solitude if the Sawtooths aren't empty enough for you.
The first portion of the trail traverses a burn area so be alert.
Dog friendly.
The lake can be buggy so bring Deet and maybe even a bug net.
There is quite a bit of uphill hiking on the return journey so save some energy.
Be sure to take the detour to your right once you reach the saddle for an even better view of the basin before your decent towards the lake.
The trailhead lies at the end of a 10 mile dirt road that is fairly well maintained but does have some dips and large loose rocks so drive slow - extra clearance would be helpful here.
This trailhead serves as the jump off point for many others trails so the parking lot can be crowded even if the trail is not.
Compared to some of the others in the area this trail is well maintained and easy to follow, no route finding required to complete this hike.